11.10 In certain historical battles large fortified buildings were used as Strongpoints, such as the Granary at Aspern-Essling or La Haye Sainte at
Waterloo, they became much more significant to the battle than their size would imply. Because of the scale used in DBN these Strongpoints, which could contain a garrison of 200-400 troops, are not usually represented on the table top, however they may have a significant impact on the battle therefore they should be.
11.11 Strongpoint Factors. The model Strongpoint should be on a base of 40mm x 30mm and can have its own small Garrison, known as a ‘Detachment’. This Detachment is of a ‘one Hit’ strength and is created by donating a Hit strength from any Infantry Unit except Militia class Muskets. At a later stage in the game the Detachment can be withdrawn by moving the original donating Unit adjacent to it for one Turn. This Detachment Garrison, like that of a BUA, can not be ‘shot out’ but is destroyed if drawn or beaten in Close Combat. It can Fire independently, it has a 360º firing range of 200 Paces with an adjustable Fire Factor of 2 and a non-adjustable Close Combat Factor of 5 and is classed as a Fortification when fired upon. Also a Strongpoint adjacent to an enemy BUA Garrison or Strongpoint suffers a minus one to its Combat factor.
11.12 Attacking a Strongpoint. Due to its size, the Strongpoint can only be attacked in Close Combat by up to one Unit per Bound but the Attacker can only suffers a maximum of 1 Hit per round of Close Combat. A Draw result in Close Combat and the Defender is Destroyed but the Strongpoint is not occupied in that Phase.
11.13 Reserve Artillery Park. This rule reflects the common practice of the time and is also very useful if the players have insufficient model artillery units. In Larger Battles involving a number of players a ‘Reserve Artillery Park’ can be created containing one or more Artillery Units. These are kept ‘off table’ or attached to the Baggage Train and become available as follows:
11.13.1 Any Sub Commander that has lost an Artillery Unit can for the cost of 1 CAP request to the CinC for a replacement. If the CinC approves the request then on the next Turn a D6 is thrown, 5 or 6 the Artillery Unit arrives at the end of the Movement Phase along side the requesting Sub Commander, 1 to 4 the Unit fails to arrive, dice again next Turn.
11.13.2 Alternatively once the Army has lost 2 Artillery Units then the CinC can immediately call up one or both of them which will appear along side him at the end of the Movement Phase.”
11.14 Infantry Verses Cavalry Response Test (Optional Rule)
The Basic Close Combat Factors are based on the assumption that whenever a Musket or Light Infantry unit is attacked by cavalry it automatically attempts to form square. If the infantry unit wins the combat it has formed a steady square and repulsed the cavalry, if it loses the combat it is assumed that it was unable to fully form the square and was broken by the cavalry. However Musket and Light Infantry units or formations can anticipate and prepare for cavalry attack and therefore lessen their chance of being surprised and beaten by cavalry, they can also be caught ‘unprepared’ and be surprised.11.14.1 Whenever an Infantry unit in Good Going is attacked by Cavalry, in Good Going, then this the “Infantry verses Cavalry Response Test” is taken.
The attacker throws a D6 and +2 is added if either of the following applies: 1. The Infantry Unit has been ‘surprised’ if the attacking Cavalry unit
has moved 200 Paces or less in view.
2. The Infantry has moved in its last Movement phase or after. The results of the modified dice roll are applied as follows:
1 2 3 4 5 6 +
Well Prepared +1 Steady Unprepared -1
‘Well Prepared’ means the Infantry Unit gains +1 in that round of Close Combat ‘Steady’ means no change to its factors and
‘Unprepared’ means -1 in that round of Close Combat.
11.15 Counter Battery Fire This was usually an unproductive use of artillery fire and was often frowned on by senior commanders; however a lucky shot could cause a lot of damage. To reflect this, any artillery unit that has not moved in its last movement phase and is fired on by another artillery unit is then classed as a ‘Counter Battery Target’. When an artillery unit that is classed as a
Counter Battery Target is beaten by Artillery fire but not by double, then there is no effect, however if beaten by double normal results are applied.
11.16 Artillery Ammunition Supply In the standard DBN game, artillery units never have ammunition supply problems, however in Larger Battles the possible isolation of artillery units may become a tactical issue, therefore ammunition supply becomes a consideration. This simple rule covers the logistics of
artillery ammunition supply.
In order for artillery to be ‘in supply’ a line (supply path) must be drawn from the nearest base edge of the artillery unit to the nearest Baggage Train or Artillery Caisson. This Supply Path can be no longer than 2400paces and must not ‘pass’ within 300paces of an enemy combat unit. If the Supply Path travels through Bad Going then the Bad Going distance is quadrupled.
If classed as ‘out of supply’ each time the unit Fires (not close combat) it suffers one ‘Hit’ irrespective of any combat result, this continues until the unit is destroyed or it again becomes ‘in supply’ then in the following turn the ‘supply hits’ are removed. ‘Out of supply’ does not affect movement.
An Artillery Caisson costs one point, they have the base size and combat factors of a Baggage Train and move as Horse Artillery.
11.17 Field Detachments. Field Detachments (Dets) are created by detaching a ‘one Hit’ strength unit from any sponsoring Ms,LI or Jg unit except no (M) class. These are Battalion strength infantry detachments and are represented on the game table by a single infantry figure. This action costs 1 CAP, the donating (parent) unit must spend the turn stationary to create the Det and has a ‘Hit Marker’ placed on the parent unit. The created Det is placed adjacent to the parent unit in any terrain feature or to occupy a NLF. Dets can move in the normal way but can never move into Close Combat, and if they take a Hit they are Destroyed. Dets have a Basic adjustable Combat Factor of 2 or 1 for Jg and the Firing Range and combat class of their parent unit. Dets can Garrison a Strongpoint (see rule 11.11) but not a BUA. Dets can be supported but can not ‘Support’.
Copyright© KISR Publications dated Jan 13 32 11.18 Battalion Gun Batteries. In certain early war battles, Battalion Gun Batteries were a notable feature, therefore KISR has decided to present this as a game option. This has been created for the more experienced DBN player who is looking for a new and different troop type.
This type of artillery unit was a ‘throw back’ to previous wars and was
progressively found to be, too difficult to manage, maintain and motivate. They were usually staffed and administered by the infantry at Regimental/Battalion level and were generally, poorly manned, poorly trained and poorly led. They usually used the lightest calibre guns enabling the crew to move the guns around on the battlefield without the need of horsed limbers.
Because of all these factors this unit type of artillery is classed as Militia and referred to as BA(M).
BA(M) can only move if attached to an infantry unit or Commander, they move and fire as FA but with a range of HA. Because of their limited tactical role they can not provide ‘supporting fire’ to other artillery units. BA(M) should be represented on the tabletop with a small calibre gun, on a cavalry base, with a gun crew of 2.
This artillery type can be deployed and dispersed within the infantry unit it is supporting, this is represented by placing the BA(M) directly behind the infantry unit and this formation is then classed as one unit of infantry for Close Combat. The infantry and BA(M) still fire separately however the firing is from the
infantry base, the attached BA(M) can only support their own infantry unit and any hits suffered are taken on the infantry.
BA(M) are available within the Army Lists as an addition to all armies up to 1806 (they were occasionally around for longer, but had little influence) at a scale of one for every three Ms. With the use of National Characteristics the Early War (up to 1806) Austrian, Prussian and Russian armies receive 2 x BA(M) free of cost. BA(M) cost ½ point each and are not included in the casualties or calculation of Victory Conditions.